To Keto or Not To Keto?

Do you think keto will help you have a calorie deficit, and will you be happy/satisfied following a keto diet?

I don't follow a set diet. Because I know I can't maintain them long term. I try to watch what I eat and exercise. Weight loss is slow going, but that's better for me.

maggiemax18 wrote: »

Everything I hear is either "OMGGGGG you must go Keto, I lost a bazillion pounds!"

Or it's "Don't go keto. The minute you eat anything not keto, you gain SO much weight."

Keto works like any other diet - it will be successful if it makes it easier for you to hit your calorie goal. Some people find higher fat and protein diets more filling, and so keto or low carb works for them. Other people need plenty of fiber or starchy carbs to feel full, and some people have a tough time digesting fatty foods or simply don't like many of the foods you need to rely on with keto, so it probably wouldn't be successful for them.

To lose fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit. Assuming no medical issues, whatever way of eating helps you get to and stay in a deficit is what you should do.

CI<CO...

I have been on keto since feb 1, almost 2 months. I have lost 12 pounds. I try different meals to help keep me on track. I don’t eat pork or beef. So I do a lot of Salmon, turkey, chicken and shrimp and a lot of vegetables

May ask your physician first before you get on any diet. I think keto can be a wonderful diet for some people but what happens when you deny yourself carbohydrates? How does it affect your health? Those are things to consider.

Another way to go about it is to gradually reduce your carb intake rather than reducing all at once. Stay observant and keep track of the changes you feel daily.

Eat whatever is the most sustainable way for you to create a calorie deficit.

ALL DIETS work if you follow their programs correctly and consistently. It's when you go off them that they don't work. Personally I tell all my clients NOT to diet. I tell them to use this app and count calories and be consistent. I look at their diaries and we tweek things up when they aren't progressing.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Jin_tan wrote: »

If you could give up pasta and bread, go have a try

I can give up pasta and bread without missing it much (I like pasta, but rarely have bread anyway).

Could I give up fruit and otherwise do the things I'd need to do to keep carbs at what are usually said to be keto levels (which for me meant even cutting back on vegetables)? Would I be willing to give up beans as an alternative to meat for protein at times, and as a delicious option in general? No, not without medical reason.

I see nothing wrong with keto for those it helps, but it's hardly just giving up pasta and bread. (And if you love pasta and/or bread, no need to force yourself to give it up just to lose weight, unless you are one of those who can't control their appetite or blood sugar any other way.)

@maggiemax18 People get enamored with keto because when you restrict carbs in the beginning you lose "weight" quickly. Sure, some might definitely be fat in the first couple of weeks but you're losing a lot of water weight and stored carbs (glycogen). This reflects favorably on the scale though so people think it's a no brainer to continue on.

Keto has been around since the early 1900s, originally formed as a diet to help treat conditions like epilepsy...it's been around forever. If you actually enjoy keto, that's great; it CAN work. The PROBLEM is, I personally cannot think of a single person I personally know who has started keto and lasted very long because they enjoy carbs like most of us.

Carbs are not essential like fats and protein but are in many enjoyable foods and are beneficial for exercise performance, etc. If you're less active, have smaller carb portions. But, you can eat higher carbs and more moderate fats and lose weight as well...depends on the person and their preferences.

Personally, I'm on a slow "bulking" plan right now and eating 375g of carbs per day; just bumped up from 360g. My weight has come down a pound on average since I begun testing to find an appropriate surplus to be in...Means I need more total calories in my life because CI vs. CO matters most. My fats are only at 70g per day with about 1.1g/lb. of protein.

If carbs were inherently fattening, I'd be getting pretty fat on that many at 182 lb. right now haha. Just need to have the right portions for your body, preferences and activity levels.